NOLA Bound

Today we are flying to New Orleans, La. to eat some good food and see some good friends. We're also using Skybus for the first time, which we will report on later. We have heard that the flight attendants pester you to buy snacks, but this preggy lady is looking forward to her in flight chips and soda!

More to report on Monday!

Maybe I should blog

If you were here you would be listening in on a live session of most of Buffalo Wang and half of Grandma's Genius. In other words, Jon and Brendan are jamming in the living room. B has a set of bongos, congas, and a hand symbol, so Grandma's G may have some coolio percussion during their next show.

We had a another fantastic meal at Lexington Barbecue tonight. If you haven't been there yet, please go. Order a chopped tray with rolls and hush puppies, a cup of dip, and a sweet tea. The decor is a 1960s basement, but the food is heaven.

I'm cruising through week 13 of pregnancy, and the first semester nausea and fatigue have subsided. In the past three days I have enjoyed eating like I've never had a decent meal. I'm hungry all the time and last night at about 3 a.m. I seriously considered getting up to have a banana. Oddly, or probably not oddly to any else who actually has children, any bit of pudge I had before has been pushed upward. Thus, anything that was once evenly distributed along my abs is now squished between my bellybutton and rib cage. My preggy belly is not showing but my chubby belly is! No more bikinis for me!

Things to look forward to include: Next doc appt. Feb. 8, and next ultrasound Feb. 15 (when we find out the gender!)

Milestone

Today is the first day of my second trimester. I didn't blog the first trimester because: 1) We hadn't told everyone I was pregnant; 2) I was too dang tired. My lack of energy can be quantified by comparing the number of Christmas cards I sent out last year (30 or so) to the number I sent out this year (10), or the number of Christmas decorations we put up, which this year was one wreath that Jon put up for me because I was too tired. It was amazing. I could fall asleep on the couch after school, wake up, eat dinner, and then fall asleep watching t.v. Jon would wake me up in time to go to bed where I would sleep all night.

Some highlights included our first ultrasound (in the previous post) and not vomiting. Lowlights included the vigor with which people told me their pregnancy horror stories. I say sucks to every person who said, "You just wait," with negative connotation.

BABY!

Two things: 1) Merry Christmas to everyone, and 2) Jon and I are going to be parents! The baby is currently small, bean-shaped and bean-sized. We're due mid-July. Good times! We're excited, and we'll keep you updated.

Hope everybody has a good Christmas!

Darf Days

The 27th annual Darf Days* came to a close today. (*the 3 day celebration of my birth as called by my wonderful spouse). We kicked off the weekend with a trip to see the Twin City Cyclones at the Annex. The home team did battle against the Renegades, but the opposing goalie was killer and the rest of their players were just too fast. The final score was 5-1. There were two notable moments from the evening. First, almost as soon as I sat down, the mascot, Cy, came up behind my, putting his beak REALLY close to my head. But it wasn't so close that I noticed. Jon started laughing, and when I turned around, I was nose to nose with the huge blue bird.

Later, Jon stepped out to the lobby, and I stayed behind to watch the game. A group of kids from the youth hockey association came to our section selling pucks for the "Chuck a Puck" contest. I heard them talking to the family behind me when all of a sudden I hear "Ahh," as one of the kids comes tumbling into my lap. Grasping for anything to break his fall, the 10-year-old puts one hand on my back and his other hand on my chest to try not to roll all the way down our section. Luckily my ample bosom was enough to break his fall.

Saturday had much less sexual harassment with dinner at the 4th Street Filling Station. The highlight was spending time in a dimly lit restaurant with Jon AND the triple layer strawberry cake we brought home for a late dessert. Dinner was followed by a slightly competitive game of Scrabble, and the opening of Christmas presents.

Sunday, the actual day of my birth, was relaxing. We started the day with gifts and grocery shopping, and we closed it out with naps, football, and Japanese food. I also received many well wishes from family and friends, which I appreciate and enjoy.

All things considered, Darf Days 2007 was a great success.

TOY

Amanda, in all her splendor and glory, has received the Teacher of the Year award at her school! What's cool about it? Well, she got a banner and balloons, a prime parking spot, the acclaim and respect of her peers and co-workers, and the opportunity to fill out a giant application for the district-wide TOY process. Good for her! I am a proud husband. I was so proud, in fact, that I gave her one of her birthday presents early and now need to go get something to replace it.

Also, this comes on the heels of our sister-in-law Ashley winning the TA-of-the-year award at her elementary school in Raleigh. I'm not sure what it says about my brother and I that the ladies we married both won that award in the same year, but I'm sure it says something.

So congrats to Amanda and Ashley! Your kids are being taught by great people.

Gobble, gobble

Thanksgiving was a great success thanks to my husband the turkey cooker. He made a delicious turkey roast in the crock pot with orange marmalade and cranberry sauce. We also had wonderful rolls from the Brasfields, a tasty salad from Catherine, mashed potatoes, stuffing, mac&cheese, green beans, and pumpkin pie. Shame on me for not taking any pictures!

My Harris Teeter

Overheard at the grocery store between a 7-year-old and his mother.

Kid: Now, I don't want you to get all worked up over this.
Mom: What? I won't get worked up.
Kid: Have I started to earn my prize?

To me, this says a lot about the dynamic in their household.

PUGS

Lucy, Clara, Lucy

We <3 test assembly

J's paper: A Cooperative Method for Large Scale Test Assembly was accepted for presentation at the 2008 conference of the National Council on Measurement in Education in NYC.

Woo Hoo!